Niisan
by Taisi
Summary: How would things have been different if Ayame had cared? How might things have changed if he'd been there for his younger brother when Yuki needed him most? OOC


**Okays, okays, I had to write this. It was just such a cute idea/\**.**/\ Cuz Ayame's trying so hard, y'know? He really does feel bad about what he did to Yuki, so this is a tribute to you, Aya-kun!! And sorry if there's OOCness!!**

**Just a one-shot about how things would have been different if Ayame cared.**

**Disclaimer: Dunown Furuba.**

_Brother Art Thou_

_"What could you call it, but a bond?"_

_This is no bond. It's a curse. I _swear _it's a curse. I...I want to go home...Mother...why won't she take me home?...Akito...he...scares me..._

The boy knelt beside Akito, face shadowed as he kept his head bowed. He could hear the joy and laughter of the other Sohma children, but didn't dare join in. He could almost hear the silent warning radiating off Akito: _Just try to join them, dearest Yuki, and see how I toy with your mind next._

No one would believe him if he told them that his mind was hurt; although it was the truth. His mind was scarred, _he _was scarred, emotionally, physically...Everywhere he looked, he saw nothing, _nothing _but the infinint blackness. _"The world is a dark place, Yuki. Don't dream around and think you'll be saved. You're _nothing." Those hateful, hateful words...

His eyes traveled upward to peer through his hair. Shigure-san, and Ayame-san were looking at him, Shigure smiling, Ayame uncertain. _That boy...Ayame...isn't he my brother? _It was terribly sad, that he wasn't sure, but he couldn't know. It had been so long since he'd associated with someone other than the nurse, the housemaids, his mother and Akito. So long since he'd gone outside to just lay in the grass, and breath in the fresh, clear air that soothed his aching lungs and heart.

The festival finally ended: Yuki couldn't even remember why they'd had one. His mind was a vast, empty plane, full of uncertainty and fear, fear, _fear. _He was afraid of everyone; there was no one he could trust, no one that was safe. He brought his knees up to his chest, and hid his face in his arms. He wished more than anyone could ever wish for _anything _that he wasn't a Sohma. He wished his mother loved him, that he wasn't sick, that he had friends.

But most of all, he wished Akito hated him.

"Come, Yuki," the boy said. Yuki glanced up; almost everyone had gone, save Momiji, Ayame and Shigure. Yuki stood, but found he couldn't move his legs; they'd cramped while he'd been kneeling. He about toppled forward, but a gentle hand caught his wrist. He looked up, shocked, into a confused Ayame's face.

"Careful, Yuki," he said. "You've been kneeling prostrate for hours. You can't expect your legs to work suddenly."

Yuki's eyes widened, and he said nothing at first. _This...is my brother? _After a moment, he gasped. "O-Oh! Yes, I'm sorry, thank you," and bowed as he'd been taught.

Then Akito hissed, "_Yuki, I said "come"."_

Yuki stopped mid-bow. "I-I'm sorry, Akito-kun," he whispered desperately, eyes finding Akito's. "P-Please...I'm _sorry..."_

Akito's face was passive; he clenched Yuki's arm, spun, and proceeded to drag him away. Yuki stumbled after, whimpering a bit--and barely managing to subdue it--when his legs screamed protest. He glanced back at Ayame, who's hand was still outstretched, and almost called, _Help me, brother! Nii-san! _but couldn't bring himself too. He didn't know why, but the words wouldn't form.

_...Nii-san..._

---

Ayame watched Akito drag the boy that was his little brother away, and felt himself frown without realizing he had. _What do I care? That boy...I don't even _know _him..._A hand on his shoulder spun him around.

"Come on, Aya-kun," Shigure drawled airily, obviously unconcerned about Yuki, or if so, very capable of hiding it. "Tori-san's waiting for us." Ayame nodded, forcing a smile.

"Yes, I'll be there in a moment." That seemed to satisfy Shigure, who trundled off. Ayame, after a hesitation and a glance in the direction Akito and Yuki went, made to follow, but a tug on his shirt made him look down into Momiji's questioning eyes.

"Ayame-kun?" he asked softly.

"Yes?"

"Why aren't you going to help him?"

Ayame stared down at him. "Why would I do that, Momiji-kun?"

Momiji kind of cocked his head. "He's your little brother, isn't he? You have a chance to see him. Mama..." The boy stopped, a shadow crossing over his eyes. "Papa won't let me see Momo, and that hurts me, really bad; because while she's growing up, she won't have me, her big brother, there to look out for her. But you can look out for Yuki, can't you? It isn't too late..." Concern was evident in the little boy's face. "He really needs someone. Akito hurts him, but no one believes me. But I _saw _him...I saw him hurt Yu-kun!"

Ayame rested a hand on the boy's head, but he was lost in his own little world: _Akito hurts Yuki? _He knew better than to believe that Momiji was lying; he was on of the most honest kids in the world. _How? And _why _doesn't anyone _stop _him? _That answer was simple enough: Who would dare stop Akito, God of the Zodiac?

Ayame suddenly spun and swept away. Momiji paused then followed. "Ay-Ayame--"

"Where was Akito going?"

"Er...to that one little room in the back of the house, most probably..."

Ayame quickened his pace. _That...!_

---

Yuki was struggling now, mildly, but struggling all the same. Akito yanked all the more harder, and dragged the resisting boy down the hall. Tears blinded Yuki's eyes, blurring everything until he couldn't see, and finally he yanked away. Wasting no time, the little boy spun on his heel and ran away, dashing as fast as he could in the direction they'd come. He began wheezing, but couldn't make himself stop.

He hadn't run far when he collided with a bigger someone, and was sent sprawling to the floor.

He whimpered a little, thinking it was Akito, but he looked up into eyes the same color of his own. Ayame smiled a bit, reaching down to help him up. "Careful, little brother," he chided lightly. "You can't run like that, you're condition will worsen." Even if Ayame himself don't know him, Yuki's illness was Sohma house legend.

Yuki almost smiled, but fear and anxiety were gripping him--as was a sudden hand hard on his wrist. He yelped, twisting around to see a livid Akito. The color drained from his face. Akito said nothing, only turned and led him back down the hall. Yuki didn't dare struggle now--but he turned back to Ayame, screaming, "_NII-SAN!"_

Imagine Akito's surprise when Yuki was _lifted _from his hold by a much older, much taller boy. Ayame held Yuki in one arm, the other propped theatrically on his waist. "Sorry, Akito-san," he said in a very cold tone, "but Yuki has other priorities that must be attended to." He gave a swift, mocking bow. "You understand."

He set his little brother down, turning him away from Akito, took his hand, and led him away.

---

Yuki wrote out the directions quickly on the scrap paper she'd provided. "Yes--this is it. Just go through the front gate and tell them you're there to see me."

Tohru took the paper with a smile. "Thank you, Yuki-kun. Uo-chan and I ((this was before she met Hana...and, uh, I just wanted her to know Kyo already, so, _bleh_.))will most definitely come to your birthday party," she chirped with a happy bow. Waving over her shoulder she skipped lightly away, hand clasping the paper tightly. Ahead, an orange-haired youth waited, arms crossed with a scowl, up ahead. Yuki stiffened as he realized who it was; _will he try to hurt her for talking to me? _Yuki thought wildly, tensing. But the scowl on Kyo Sohma's face dissapeared; his expression softened as his eyes fell on the gentle girl. Tohru smiled at him, chattering exitedly, and he layed a hand on her head. She leaned into him, and they departed.

Yuki watched them walk away, curious and amusedly incredulous. Ayame peered out at him from the gate. "Oy! Yuki! Get in here and help me out, dearest little brother."

Yuki gasped. "Ah! Y-Yes!" He jogged lightly up the walk and into the house; on his way, he passed Akito. He stopped his sprint and slowed to a very slow walk. His eyes widened a bit, but he kept moving; they were side by side at one point, and Akito's angry gaze was smoldering, glaring into Yuki's. Yuki blanched and flinched back, taking a step to the side. Akito moved closer, hands clenching. Before he could land any strike, someone overshadowed him from behind. Both little boys looked up to see Ayame.

"Akito, what a pleasant surprise," the much taller boy said, no hint of surprise in his voice. "Sorry to say, Yuki must hurry along now. He's obligations, unlike yourself. I'm sure you understand."

Ayame held out an arm to Yuki, eyes not leaving Akito's; in truth, every fiber of his body was telling him to get the hell out of there, but he, too, had obligations. Yuki scampered over to him, and was swept onto the older boy's shoulder. 

"Let's prepare you're party, little brother."

"Okay, nii-san!"

**I'm sorry, I had to write it. TT-TT Don't hate me, and please don't flame!! It was OOC, and I'm **_**sorry...**_**Reviews...?**


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